HOW FAR IS TOO FAR?

Where do you draw the line
when giving a Wedding speech?

HOW FAR IS TOO FAR?

Where do you draw the line
when giving a Wedding speech?

Everyone has one story (or two).You know, the Wedding you went to where a certain member of the bridal party went that one step too far, with a little too much detail, and spilt the beans on something that was met with a very awkward silence and a deathly stare from the bride or groom (or both) in one direction or another. But, how far is too far? Where do you draw the line between humour and forbidden territory in a Wedding speech?

First and foremost, I know there’s a whole crowd of people out there thinking, well you should know someone’s personality and boundaries before asking them to give a speech anyway and if you are concerned just tell them what’s off limits. Now, while this does sound plain and simple when you put it that way, and I tend to agree, sometimes you’ve got a best mate or sibling who has rightly earned the position by your side on your big day but gets a little inappropriate with a few drinks. Or, you’ve maybe got a friend who you didn’t realise gets awkward about speeches and they just shock you on the day. Either way, this one’s probably more a few guidelines for those faced with the task of the all important speech rather than the bride or groom to be.

We totally get how daunting it is. After the excitement of your friends Engagement and of being asked to be involved in their big day, it suddenly dawns on you that you’re going to have to give a speech. After you’ve finished removing flashbacks of high school public speaking days from your brain and focused on the task at hand, you’re a little stuck for where to begin and maybe what to include or not to include. It’s a fine line between keeping the speech lively and interesting and putting people to sleep. Humour is usually how you get around this. This is sometimes even more of a bigger issue if you’re not much of a jokester, or maybe keeping it dialled back is more the issue. Either way, finding the balance can be quite a task.

While we are absolutely advocates for a laugh (and we’re sure your mate will appreciate it too), getting it right is the difference between a good and bad speech (and the difference between being met with a handshake or a hug, and a glare and silence). So, we’ve got some tips for where to start…

In general, remember that first and foremost this is their Wedding day, and the fact that you’ve been asked to give this speech in the first place means that you mean an awful lot to them. A definite winning topic to address is your relationship with them. How you met & when and a touch on your friendship is a great place to start and then it’s always good to mention when they met their partner. While jokes are great here - it’s probably not a good time to mention their past partners, or any of their more hilarious or slightly inappropriate shenanigans. Basically, if you think her parents would laugh it’s probably okay, but if you think it’ll leave him met with a stern look from them then it’s maybe not the best one liner. It’s probably not a good time for you to mention that she really didn’t like him very much, but he kept persisting and eventually she changed her mind. There’s a necessary balance between making this kind of thing sound cute and leaving him with a dented ego - make sure you know the difference.

Most importantly though, while it’s probably okay to make the odd joke here or there about your friend themselves (you’ve got to keep it lively and interesting somehow), just remember to finish it off on a slightly more serious (and sincere) note. Pass on your wishes for them as a couple at the start of their next chapter together and maybe take a second to also comment on how much you also value their friendship and are looking forward to welcoming their new husband or wife into your life for years to come.